Liquid dispensing system and receptacle therefor

ABSTRACT

The system includes a plurality of receptacles serially connected one to the other between a gas pressure source, for example air or CO2 under pressure, and a dispensing faucet. Each receptacle includes a cup-shaped body having a cover with an opening in which is slideably mounted a valve member. The member has a pair of discrete side-by-side passages terminating at their upper ends in a funnel which receives the neck of a bottle inverted over the receptacle. The passages terminate at their lower ends in inclined laterally projecting passageways. The valve member is movable from a first normally closed position into a second valve open position by downward pressure on the inverted bottle which is maintained by a leaf spring bearing against the bottom of the inverted bottle. Gas under pressure flows through one of the passages into the bottle and liquid under pressure flows through the other passage into the receptacle for communication with the dispensing faucet. The serially connected receptacles are provided for dispensing different liquids. Valves provide measured pours of liquid from the faucets. The quantity of liquid dispensed for each pour can be selected among a number of predetermined quantities. Counters are provided for counting each measured pour.

United States Patent 91 Leas et a1.

[ 1 Oct. 30, 1973 1 LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM AND RECEPTACLE THEREFOR [75] Inventors: Vernon E. Leas; Jeffrey Alan Leas,

both of Warrington, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Diverse Ventures Corporation,

! Phoenix, Ariz.

[22] Filed: June 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 264,611

[52] U.S. Cl ZZZ/129.4, 141/35, 222/145,

222/185 [51] Int. Cl. B67d 5/56 [58] Field of Search 137/212; 141/35 X,

3/1972 Johnson 222/145 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-L. Martin Attorney-Robert E. Le Blanc et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The system includes a plurality of receptacles serially connected one to the other between a gas pressure source, for example air or CO under pressure, and a dispensing faucet. Each receptacle includes a cupshaped body having a cover with an opening in which is slideably mounted a valve member. The member has a pair of discrete side-by-side passages terminating at their upper ends in a funnel which receives the neck of a bottle inverted over the receptacle. The passages terminate at their lower ends in inclined laterally projecting passageways. The valve member is movable from a first normally closed position into a second valve open position by downward pressure on the in verted bottle which is maintained by a leaf spring bearing against the bottom of the inverted bottle. Gas under pressure flows through one of the passages into the bottle and liquid under pressure flows through the other passage into the receptacle for communication with the dispensing faucet. The serially connected receptacles are provided for dispensing different liquids. Valves provide measured pours of liquid from the faucets. The quantity of liquid dispensed for each pour can be selected among a number of predetermined quantities. Counters are provided for counting each measured pour.

19 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures III/VI I22 -80 NR $2 [I0 PATENTEU [JCT 30 I975 3.768.701

- SHEU 20F 3 LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM AND RECEPTACLE THEREFOR The present invention relates to a liquid dispensing system and particularly relates to a system for dispensing liquid from a plurality of serially connected receptacles, each of which receives liquid from an associated replaceable liquid container, and to the receptacles for receiving the liquid from the containers.

As employed herein, the term liquid applies to beverages, such as liquor, soda and the like although the dispensing system hereof and receptacles therefor will be described specifically in terms of dispensing liquor. Also, the term container refers herein to any type of container for liquid although the following description at times refers to bottles in connection with dispensing liquor. Automatic liquor dispensing systems have been proposed and constructed in the past. Certain such systems provide a plurality of inverted bottles disposed such that the liquor flows into a common reservoir or manifold. The liquor then flows from the reservoir to a measuring chamber which is adjustable to provide a selected measure of drink. A counter is sometimes provided for counting the number of measured drinks dispensed. A system of this type is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,598,287. Another system utilizes a common manifold which is inclined and on which a pluarlity of, relatively elevated, inverted bottles are mounted for emptying into the manifold. The manifold is coupled at one end to a gas pressure source and at its other end to a dispensing faucet and the bottles are emptied sequentially. Such system is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,647,1 18. Other systems for dispensing liquor and the like are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,305,132; 3,428,218; 3,341,078; 3,386,621; 2,634,023; 2,531,755; 3,580,425; 2,808,178; 3,119,485; 3,170,698; and 3,193,143. These systems, however, have various disadvantages in construction, mode of operation and result. Certain such disadvantages include their relatively complex construction, high cost, lack of foolproof methods for controlling liquor inventory and/or controlling the size of the pour, lack of capability for readily expanding system capacity as dictated by the changing needs of the dispensing establishment, inability to be readily and easily installed in existing restaurants, bars and the like, the significant space required for such installations, and the requirement in certain systems for applying special flow adapters to the bottles before the bottles can be integrated into the system.

The present invention provides a novel and improved liquid dispensing system which eliminates and/or minimizes many of the foregoing and other disadvantages associated with prior dispensing systems and provides a novel and improved liquor dispensing system having various advantages in construction, mode of operation and result in comparison with such prior systems. Principally, the present invention provides a dispensing system wherein a large number of liquid containers, i.e., bottles of liquor, can be serially connected one to the other and dispensed through a faucet under pressure. More specifically, the present invention provides a system comprised of a plurality of serially connected receptacles for dispensing like liquid under pressure from a plurality of inverted liquid containers, each receptacle having a single liquid container coupled thereto for flowing its liquid contents into such receptacle and subsequent serially connected receptacles. The receptacles are serially connected between a source of gas under pressure and the dispensing faucet. The gas may comprise air, CO or the like, hereinafter referred to generally as gas. For dispensing other types of liquid, an additional one or more sets of like serially connected receptacles are provided and connected between a gas pressure source and one or more associated faucets. It is a particular feature hereof that the receptacles lie at a common elevation while simultaneously the containers are sequentially emptied starting with the container nearest the gas source. To accomplish this, each receptacle comprises a generally bowl-shaped member having a side gas inlet port and a liquid outlet port at its bottom. A cover is secured to the bowl and has an opening in which is slideably mounted a poppet. A spring between the receptacle and poppet biases the poppet into a first valve closed position. The poppet has a pair of discrete passages therethrough which terminate at their upper ends in a flexible funnel for receiving liquid from the inverted containers. The lower end of the poppet terminates in a frustoconical surface which bears, in the valve closed position, against a like valve surface carried by the cover. The lower ends of the passages terminate in laterally outwardly inclined passageways above the frustoconical valve surface. When the bottle is inverted and the bottle neck is disposed in the funnel, downward pressure on the bottle moves the valve to an open position permitting gas under pressure to flow up through one of the passages into the bottle and liquid from the bottle to flow downwardly through the other passage into the receptacle. By using inclined outlet passageways at the bottom of the poppet, air locks are eliminated and sequential emptying of the containers is provided.

A further feature of this invention provides a novel funnel which serves to avoid spillage upon inversion of the bottle and provides a substantial seal about the inverted bottle neck to prevent contamination of the liquid. Moreover, this unique funnel receives the bottle neck without any adaptation of the bottle or need to provide it with a flow control device. In utilizing this system to dispense different liquids, the sets of plural receptacles communicate with respective dispensing faucets via valves. The valves are solenoid-actuated and may be maintained in an open condition for selected intervals of time whereby the quantity of fluid dispensed through each faucet is known and measured. Switching apparatus is provided to open the solenoids for a longer or shorter interval to provide an over or under measured pour as compared with a standard or regular pour. Also, the dispensing faucets may be located either in a flexible hose with drink selector buttons and the over and under selector switch carried by the hose head or on a fixed support attached to a counter, bar or the like.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present A further feature hereof includes the provision of a floating suspension for the inverted bottles whereby shock waves propagated by dispensing from the pressurized system are absorbed in the system. This is significant because bottles mounted rigidly in a pressurized dispensing system sometimes break at their weakest points, i.e., about the bottle neck. This bottle breakage is believed to be caused by shock waves propagated through the system upon dispensing liquid therefrom and which shock waves cause stresses on the rigidly mounted bottles beyond their breaking point. To preclude such breakage in the present system, each inverted bottle is mounted between the spring biased poppet at its lower end and a resilient leaf spring at its upper end. Accordingly, both the poppet and inverted bottle are suspended between a pair of springs which absorb substantially the entirety of the energy of any shock wave propagated through the pressurized system.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing system and receptacles therefor wherein the receptacles are serially connected one to the other and lie at a common elevation whereby, upon application of gas under pressure, liquid in inverted containers flowing into the receptacles is dispensed sequentially from the containers starting with the container closest the gas pressure source.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing system and receptacles therefor which are economical in construction, readily adapted to existing counter or bartype facilities, inexpensively constructed, and capable of being utilized by relatively unskilled labor.

It is a related object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing system and receptacles therefor which provides effective inventory control and prevents dispensing of uncounted drinks.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved dispensing system wherein the capacity of the system may be readily and easily increased or decreased as desired to meet the changing needs of the dispensing establishment simply by adding or removing one or more of the receptacles which form a part of the system hereof.

It is a still further related object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing system wherein the liquid containers or bottles are mounted for movement on an elastic suspension system whereby breakage of the bottles due to the propagation of shock waves through the pressurized system is eliminated.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved dispensing system and receptacles therefor wherein each receptacle is provided with a novel no-spill funnel for connection with the liquid containers and wherein the containers do not require specialized equipment, such as stoppers and the like, preliminary to their attachment and use in the present dispensing system.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a dispensing system constructed in accordance with the present invention and particularly illustrating plural sets of dispensers, each set containing a plurality of receptacles serially connected;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the dispensing system hereof mounted for use behind a counter or bar;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrating a further form of dispensing head;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one of the receptacles illustrated in FIG. 1 and illustrating the valve therefor in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 on a reduced scale and illustrating the valve in an open position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the poppet for the valve;

FIG. 6a is a cross-sectional view thereof taken about on line 6a6in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side-elevational view of the mounting for the receptacle and liquid container;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about on line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a bottle being applied to the funnel at the top of the receptacle; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a portion of an electrical circuit employed with the dispensing system hereof.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a liquid dispensing system constructed in accordance with the present invention and comprising a plurality of receptacles generally indicated 10 adapted to receive liquid from inverted liquid containers generally indicated 12. Predetermined numbers of receptacles 10, six being illustrated, are serially connected one to the other to form plural dispensing sets or groups of serially connected receptacles, for example, groups A, B and C as iilustrated with only the containers of group A and bottoms of the inverted containers of group C being illustrated. Particularly, each set of receptacles has a first receptacle 10a connected via a conduit 14 to a source of gas, i.e., air, CO or the like, under pressure, intermediate receptacles 10b ll0e serially connected one to the other and to the first and last serially connected receptacles 10a and 10f respectively via conduits 16, and a last serially connected receptacle 10f connected via a conduit 20 to a dispensing faucet. Each conduit 16 connects between an outlet port 22 in the bottom wall of a receptacle and an inlet port 24 through the side wall of the next serially connected receptacle for communicating liquid from that receptacleinto such next serially connected receptacle.

Accordingly, with the foregoing described arrangement, the liquid in each container 12 flows into its associated receptacle for flow to successive serially connected receptacles and to the dispensing faucet. While the containers 12 in each set of receptacles contain like liquids; the liquid containers in the other sets may contain like or unlike liquids, as desired. For example, the liquid containers in one dispensing set may contain gin while the liquid containers in another dispensing set may contain vodka whereby gin or vodka can be selectively dispensed from the two dispensing sets in a manner as set forth hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the dispensing system hereof may be employed behind a counter, bar or the like. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, there is disclosed a cabinet 24 in which the dispensing sets hereof can be disposed for dispensing the various types of the most commonly asked-for drinks. As illustrated, six conduits 26 emerge from cabinet 24 and it will be appreciated that six dispensing sets are mounted in cabinet 24. The various liquids from the containers within cabinet 24 flow through conduits 26 into a valve block which houses a solenoid actuated valve for each conduit 26. The valves are normally closed and each valve is opened in response to actuation of a corresponding liquid dispensing switch indicated 30a-30f. Upon opening a selected valve within valve block 28 by actuation of a selected one of switches 30a-30f, liquid from the desired dispensing set flows through a discrete conduit, not shown, within a conduit housing or sleeve 32 for delivery to a faucet below the selected switch. It will be appreciated that sleeve 32 contains as many conduits as there are conduits 26. Each valve is maintained in its open condition for a predetermined time interval whereby a measured quantity of liquid is dispensed from each dispensing set upon actuation of the appropriate selector switch.

Also mounted under the counter is a quantity selector switch 36 by which different measures of any one pour can be provided. For example, it is oftentimes desirable to provide a measured pour, i.e., a one and onehalf ounce shot, in a quantity greater than a normal or regular pour, i.e., a one ounce shot. Also, it is sometimes desired to provide a smaller measured pour, i.e, a three quarter ounce shot, in comparison with the quantity provided in a normal or regular pour. By actuating the quantity selector switch 36 as hereinafter set forth these over or under pours can be effected. Further, counters are provided, for example in a box 38 below the counter recording the number of each pour in each of the regular, over or under pours. In this manner, exact knowledge of the quantity of liquid dispensed by the dispensing system hereof at any desired time is provided.

Referring to FIG. 3, the manifold carried on the counter top in FIG. 2 may be replaced by a flexible hose 40 mounting a nozzle head 42. The nozzle head 42 mounts a plurality of buttons or switches 44 for selecting the desired liquid from any one of the dispensing sets connected thereto similarly as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conduits for the respective dispensing sets are carried through the hose 40 and terminate in individual faucets in the nozzle head 42. Also, quantity selector switches or buttons are provided on the nozzle head and, when actuated in conjunction with a selected drink, provide for a measured pour either over or under in comparison with a regular pour, as hereinafter more particularly described.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated in detail a receptacle utilized in the dispensing system hereof. Each receptacle comprises a bowl-shaped body 50 having an open upper end surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange 52, and a nipple 54 at the bottom of the bowl and defining the opening through liquid outlet port 22. A pair of nipples 58 and 60 are provided through a side wall of body 50 adjacent its open upper end. Nipple 58 defines the openings through inlet port 24 and is adapted for connection with conduit 22. Nipple 60 defines an opening for mounting a low liquid level sensor. A further opening 62 is provided in the side wall of bowl 50 adjacent its bottom and mounts a suitable sensor for indicating that the receptacle is empty.

Body 50 is closed at its upper end by a cover 68 having a lateral flange 70 and an upwardly extending central boss 72 defining a central opening 74 into body 50. The body 50 is internally stepped at its upper end as at 76 to provide a seat for an O-ring seal 78. The cover 68 is secured to body 50 by screws 76 engaging between flanges 70 and 52 with the O-ring 78 sealing between cover 68 and body 50 when the former is secured to the latter.

Slideably mounted in opening 74 is a poppet 80. Poppet 80 terminates at its upper end in a reduced diameter externally threaded end 82. The lower end of poppet 80 terminates in an outwardly flared skirt or frustoconical surface 84. An annular groove 86 is provided in skirt 84 for receiving an O-ring seat member 88. In the valve closed position, seal 88 seals about a frustoconical valve seat 90 formed about the bottom of opening 70. A pair of axially spaced grooves 92 and 94 are provided about poppet 80 and receive sealing rings 96 and 98 for sealing about the walls of boss 72 defining opening 74. A pair of passages 100 and 102 are provided in axially extending side-by-side relation one to the other through poppet 80. The lower ends 104 and 106 of passages 100 and 102, respectively, are outwardly inclined and open through the side walls of poppet 80 above skirt 84 as indicated at 108 in FIG. 6. The passages 100 and 102, as indicated in FIG. 6a, are substantially D-shaped in cross-section with the flat walls thereof in back-to-back relation one to the other. Body 50 carries a conical spring 1 10. The upper end of spring 110 engages in a recessed seat 112 in the lower end of poppet 80 and its lower end engages against the bottom wall of body 50. Spring 1 10 biases poppet 80 into a normally valve closed position with the O-ring 88 sealing about the frustoconical valve seat 90 to preclude communication between body 50 and passages 100 and 102.

A collar having an internally threaded central opening is threadedly received about the reduced diameter end 82 of poppet 80. An O-ring seal 122 is provided between the collar and a shoulder on poppet 80. The collar mounts an upstanding funnel 124 having side walls 126 which flare outwardly terminating at their upper ends in a wall 128 inclined to the horizontal. Wall 128 has a central opening 130. The inner walls of funnel 124 slope inwardly toward the top of poppet 80 and provide a flexible surface against which the lip of an inverted bottle seals. A screen 132 is carried on top of poppet 88 and within the lower opening 134 of funnel 124. The funnel 124 is integrally secured to the collar 120.

A bracket for mounting the receptacles and maintaining each liquid container in an inverted position for flowing liquid therefrom through the funnel into the passages of poppet 80 and into the associated receptacle 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Particularly, an annular bracket encompasses body 50 below flange 52 and is suitably secured to a wall or other support structure as by screws 154. The bracket 140 includes an intermediate portion 156 between the wall and the receptacle and which portion is rectangular in cross-section as illustrated in FIG. 8 having vertically registering slots 158 and 160 through its opposite upper and lower walls. An upright bracket 162 formed of elongated flat spring steel is receivable in the openings 158 and 160. Bracket 162 has ratchet teeth 164 along one side thereof which cooperate with a spring biased detent 166. Detent 166 comprises a pin 167 having a knob 168 and receivable through a side wall of intermediate bracket portion 156. Pin 167 terminates in a scarfed end 170 and carries washer 171 adjacent its scarfed end. A spring 172 encompasses pin 167 between the side wall of bracket 156 and washer 171 to bias the scarfed end of pin 167 into engagement with ratchet teeth 164 whereby upright bracket 152 can be maintained in selected vertical position relative to the receptacles. The upper end of bracket 162 terminates in a laterally projecting leaf spring 1'78 having a generally sinuous cnfiguration. The lowermost portion of leaf spring 178 is aligned over the receptacle. It will be appreciated that a bottle can be maintained in an inverted position between spring 178 and the receptacle with the bottle neck disposed within funnel 124.

in order to couple the bottle to the funnel so that liquid will flow into the receptacle, a side wall of the flexible funnel is flexed such that upper wall 128 obtains a substantially vertical orientation. The bottle is tipped such that its open end is received within the opening l3!) and before the liquid flows out of the bottle. Once the bottle neck is received within opening 130, the bottle can be fully inverted over the receptacle with the funnel returning substantially to its normal position. The diameter of opening 130 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the neck of the smallest bottle usable with the system such that a substantial seal about the bottle neck is formed. Downward pressure on the bottle engages the lip of the bottle neck against the inside wall of the funnel and about the openings through poppet 30, Further downward pressure on the bottle displaces poppet downwardly against the bias of spring 110 thereby providing a through passage from the bottle into the receptacle via passages 100 and 102 and passageways 10 i and MM. Downward movement of the poppet is limited by the engagement of the underside of collar 120 with the upper end of boss 72. The inverted bottle is, of course, slipped under the leaf spring 178. Spring R78 retains the bottle in its inverted position with the poppet valve in the open position and against the bias of spring 110.

The previously described mountings for the inverted bottles elastically support the bottles between the leaf spring 178 and the poppet spring 110. Accordingly, the bottles are not rigidly mounted to the receptacles but rather are mounted for movement relative thereto. This is significant since any shock waves propagated through the pressurized system are absorbed by the elastic mountings provided by springs 110 and 178. The bottles are thereby prevented from breakage caused by any such shock waves.

When the receptacles are utilized in the dispensing system hereof illustrated in FIG. 1, they are serially connected one with the other in the manner previously described. Also, the bottles are inverted and clamped between the receptacles and the leaf spring 178 as previously described with the liquid flowing from the bottles into the associated receptacles. When the gas source is connected to the first of the serially connected receptacles, the gas enters one of the passages 100 or 102 by entering the corresponding passageway 10d or 106 and passes upwardly through the poppet valve into the bottle. The gas pressurizes the remaining liquid in the bottle and drives it downwardly through the other of the passages and passageways into the receptacle. It has been found that the angle of the outlet passageways we and 106 is important to the operation of the present invention. Particularly, by inclining the outlet passages, gas locks are prevented. That is, it has been found that when the outlet passage angles degrees laterally, the liquid from the container will flow into the receptacle only for a limited time. Likewise, when the passages and 102 terminate in downwardly opening ports, a similar gas block occurs preventing flow and hence effective operation of the systern. The passageways 104 and 106 incline laterally outwardly from the vertical at an angle of about 30 degrees and, at this angle, the dispensing system described herein operates successfully and is fully effective to dispense liquid sequentially from receptacles lying at a common elevation.

Thus it is a feature of the present invention that the receptacles and bottles may be maintained at a common elevation with the bottles emptying sequentially starting with the bottle closest to the gas source with the remaining bottles emptying successively thereafter in a direction toward the faucet. Previously, it has been believed that the bottles and receptacles must be inclined relative to one another with the gas source being applied to the highest bottle and the faucet connected to the lowest bottle of the serially connected bottles. However, it has been found that, with the unique valve design hereof, successful dispensing can be obtained with the receptacles and bottles at a common or dissimilar elevation. Among other advantages, bottles at a common elevation facilitate installation of the dispensing system hereof where limited space is available.

It will be appreciated that when one or more of the bottles are emptied, they can be replaced with full bottles without interrupting the operation of the dispensing system. To accomplish this, the empty bottle is first canted from below the leaf spring and the bottle neck is then withdrawn from the funnel. After the bottle is removed, spring 110 displaces poppet 80 into the valve closed position with O-ring 88 sealing against valve seat 90. Consequently, gas flowing into that receptacle will merely flow through it and into the next serially connected receptacle(s) with the system continuing to operate and dispense liquid from the remaining unemptied bottles. A fresh full bottle may then be applied to the receptacle in the manner previously set forth herein.

It will be further appreciated that the unique funnel hereof accommodates the bottle necks of the variously different sized bottles. For example, the funnel is both flexible and resilient whereby the funnel opening is adapted for sealing engagement about the neck of a quart bottle as well as about the neck of a half gallon bottle, the funnel opening being about one inch in diameter for accommodating the full range of presently available bottle sizes.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is disclosed an elec trical circuit for use in the dispensing system hereof and particularly for use in operating the solenoid actuated valves contained in valve box 28., the counters within box 39, and the over and under pour switch 36. For dispensing various kinds of liquids, there is provided an electrical circuit as will now be described. Connected on one side of a volt 60 Hz source, there is provided a line 2M connected with a three-position switch 2&2. The contacts 204, 206, and 298 of the switch 202 connect with time delay switches TDS1, TDS-2, and TBS-3, respectively. These time delay switches are, in turn, coupled from a common line 217 to the various solenoid coils 216:1-2i6f via respective lines 2l8a-2l8f and respective selector switches 30a-30f. The other side of coils 216:2-2l6f are connected via a line 222 to the other side of the AC source. In each of the parallel lines connecting between the time delay switches and the common line 217, there is provided a pulse counter PC-ll, PC-2, and PC-3, respectively.

It will be appreciated that six selector switches and six coils are specifically described and illustrated and that a greater or lesser number of such switches and corresponding coils may be provided depending upon the number of kinds of drinks it is desired to serve. However, the most common types of drinks served number six or less and therefore an electrical circuit usable with six kinds of drinks is preferred.

In operation, a selected one of selector switches Ema-36f is closed to energize the corresponding solenoid coil 216a-2ll6f through one of the time delay switches TDS-l, TBS-2, or TBS-3. The three-position switch is normally biased into a central position in electrical contact with contact 2G6 whereby the selected solenoid coil of solenoid coils 216a-2ll6f is thus energized for a predetermined time sufficient to provide a regular size pour, i.e., a one ounce shot. Consequently, the bartender need only close the selector switch indicative of the type of liquid to be dispensed, i.e., either moving the selected handle of handles 30a-30fas illustrated in FIG. 2 or pressing the appropriate button on the nozzle head in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, to dispense a predetermined quantity of a selected liquid. Further, it will be noted that, upon a selected one of switches SIM-30f, the pulse counter PC-2 associated with the line through contact 206 and time delay switch TDS2 is energized to record the drink dispensed. In the event that an over or an under sized pour is required, the bartender closes the selected on of switches Mia-30f and also moves the three-position switch to the selected contact 204 or 208 thereby energizing a selected time delay switch TDS-1 or TDS-3. In this manner, the valve is held open a longer or shorter period of time as required to dispense the oversize or undersize drink. The oversize or undersize pour is likewise recorded on the appropriate counter PC-l or PC-3. The three-position switch, as noted previously, is biased such that upon its release, it will return to the central position and into electrical contact with contact 206, whereby the next pour will be of regular size. It will be appreciated that the time delay switches TDS-l, TDS2 and TDS-3 may each comprise a switch wherein flow of current through the switch causes the switch to open after a predetermined time interval. The switch returns to its normally closed position once that time cycle is completed and whereat it is again ready to conduct current.

It will be appreciated that the three pulse counters serve the entire system whereby the total number of measured pours dispensed, of whatever kind of liquid, would be recorded as the sum of the counts on the three pulse counters. It will be noted, however, that an additional counter can be located in each line 218a2ll8f whereby the total number of measured pours from each set of serially connected receptacles can be recorded.

It will be appreciated that the receptacles disclosed herein may be utilized individually. That is, the inlet port of a receptacle can be connected to the gas pressure source and its outlet port connected directly to the dispensing faucet. In this manner, dispensing of measured and counted drinks from a single bottle is also obtained.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the'appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing liquid under pressure from an inverted liquid container comprising:

a receptacle having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle;

a valve carried by said receptacle for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening, said valve including a valve body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body;

said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages incommunication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body;

means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position; said receptacle having an opening for receiving gas under pressure; said valve member in said first position of said valve body sealing against said seat for precluding flow of liquid from the container through said passages into said receptacle, said valve member in said second position of said valve body being spaced from said seat to permit flow of gas from said receptacle upwardly through one of said passages into the container and flow of liquid under pressure from the liquid container through the other of said passages into said receptacle, said receptacle having an outlet for delivering liquid under pressure from said receptacle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pair of passages extend in generally vertical side-by-side relation one to the other through said valve body, the outlet passageways extending from respective passages in a lateral direction.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said outlet passageways decline laterally away from said vertically extending passages at an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to the vertical axis of said passages.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liquid inlet includes a funnel-shaped element carried by said body for receiving the open end of the inverted liquid container, the inner wall of said funnel-shaped element being adapted to form a seal with the outlet end of the liquid container.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said funnel-shaped element has a wall at its upper end, said wall having an opening therethrough for receiving the neck of the inverted container, said funnel-shaped element being formed of flexible material and being flexible such that the container neck is receivable within said wall opening without first inclining the container from an upright position through an angle whereat liquid will pour out of the container.

6. Apparatus according to claim wherein said wall is normally inclined to the horizontal and extends between the outer ends of the opposite side walls of said funnel-shaped element.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the upper end of said receptacle comprises an upper wall, said valve seat comprising a truncated conical surface carried on the underside of said upper wall about said opening, said valve body comprising a poppet slideably received in said opening for movement between said first and second positions and terminating at its lower end in a truncated conical surface, a seal carried by one of said conical surfaces for sealing against the other of said conical surfaces when said poppet lies in said first position, and means sealing between said body and said upper wall for precluding outflow of gas or liquid from said receptacle.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said receptacle includes a generally bowl-shaped body and a cover therefor containing said opening, means for releasably securing said cover to said body in sealing relation therewith, said biasing means including a spring engageable between said receptacle body and said poppet on said cover, each of said passages having a substantially D-shaped cross section.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cover carries an inlet funnel, said pair of discrete passages opening at their upper ends into the lower end of said inlet funnel, a screen overlying the upper ends of said passages in said funnel.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for maintaining said valve member in said second position against the bias of said biasing means.

11. A system for dispensing liquids from a plurality of inverted liquid containers comprising:

a plurality of liquid receptacles lying at a substantially common elevation; each of said receptacles having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; each of said valves including a body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in first position of said valve body thereby preventing the flow of liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle, said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position, each of said receptacles having inlet and outlet ports; means for serially connecting said receptacles one to the other including conduits connecting the outlet ports of said receptacles with the inlet ports of the next serially connected receptacle, a source of gas under pressure, a conduit connecting said gas pressure source and the inlet port of the first of the serially connected receptacles, a dispensing faucet, means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacle to said dispensing faucet, said gas pressure source pressurizing the liquid in the containers when said valve bodies lie in said second position for flowing the liquid from one receptacle to the next and to the faucet.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 1 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a measured quantity of liquid from said faucet.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 1 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a selected one of a plurality of different predetermined measured quantities of liquid from said faucet.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said latter means includes a normally closed valve and means for opening said normally closed valve for selective intervals of time.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12 including means for counting each measured quantity of liquid dispensed from said faucet.

16. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of receptacles comprise a first set thereof for dispensing a like liquid; a second set of plural receptacles for dispensing a like liquid from a second set of liquid containers and unlike the liquid dispensed from said first set of receptacles, said second set of receptacles lying at a substantially common elevation; each of said second set of receptacles having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; each of said valves including a valve body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in said first position of said valve body thereby preventing flow of liquid from the container into said receptacle, said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position; each of said second set of receptacles having inlet and outlet ports; means for serially connecting the receptacles of said second set one to the other including conduits connecting the outlet ports of said receptacles with the inlet ports of the next serially connected receptacle, a conduit connecting said gas pressure source and the inlet port of a first of the serially connected second set of receptacles, a second dispensing faucet, means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacle of the second set thereof to said second dispensing faucet, said gas pressure source pressurizing the liquid in the containers associated with the second set of receptacles when the valve bodies thereof lie in said second position for flowing the liquid from one receptacle to the next and to said second faucet.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacles in each said set thereof and the first and second dispensing faucets includes a flexible hose mounting said faucets and a pair of normally closed valves respectively associated with each of said first and second sets of receptacles, and means for selectively opening said normally closed valves for a selected interval of time whereby a measured quantity of liquid is dispensed through said faucets.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a selected one of a plurality of different predetermined measured quantities of the liquids from their associated faucets.

19. Apparatus for dispensing liquid from an inverted liquid container comprising:

a liquid receptacle; said receptacle having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; said valve including a body carried for reciprocable movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in said first position of said valve body thereby preventing the flow of liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle,

said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, said receptacle having inlet and outlet ports; means for mounting the container over said receptacle for movement with said valve body including means for biasing said valve body for movement in a first direction into said first position, said mounting means further including means engageable with the upper end of the inverted container for biasing the container and said valve body for movement in a second direction opposite said first direction whereby the valve body and inverted container are elastically suspended between the respective biasing means.

Patent No. 3,768,701 Dated otober 30, 1973 Inventor s Vernon E. Leas and Jeffrey Alan Leas It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line27, "pluarlity" should read --plurality--;

Column 1 line 9, "6a 6in" should read --6a 6a in Column 6, line 6, "seat" should read --seal--. 7

Column 7, line 3, "cnfiguration" should read --conf1guration--.

Column 10, line 13, Claim 1, "valve" should read --valve Column 11, line b5, Claim 11, "first" should read -said first---.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of June 1971+ (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents DRM (10-69) uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 U,$, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1959 0-356-33 

1. Apparatus for dispensing liquid under pressure from an inverted liquid container comprising: a receptacle having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle; a valve carried by said receptacle for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening, said valve including a valve body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body; said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body; means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position; said receptacle having an opening for receiving gas under pressure; said valve member in said first position of said valve body sealing against said seat for precluding flow of liquid from the container through said passages into said receptacle, said valve member in said second position of said valve body being spaced from said seat to permit flow of gas from said receptacle upwardly through one of said passages into the container and flow of liquid under pressure from the liquid container through the other of said passages into said receptacle, said receptacle having an outlet for delivering liquid under pressure from said receptacle.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pair of passages extend in generally vertical side-by-side relation one to the other through said valve body, the outlet passageways extending from respective passages in a lateral direction.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said outlet passageways decline laterally away from said vertically extending passages at an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to the vertical axis of said passages.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liquid inlet includes a funnel-shaped element carried by said body for receiving the open end of the inverted liquid container, the inner wall of said funnel-shaped element being adapted to form a seal with the outlet end of the liquid container.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said funnel-shaped element has a wall at its upper end, said wall having an opening therethrough for receiving the neck of the inverted container, said funnel-shaped element being formed of flexible material and being flexible such that the container neck is receivable within said wall opening without first inclining the container from an upright position through an angle whereat liquid will pour out of the container.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said wall is normally inclined to the horizontal and extends between the outer ends of the opposite side walls of said funnel-shaped element.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the upper end of said receptacle comprises an upper wall, said valve seat comprising a truncated conical surface carried on the underside of said upper wall about said opening, said valve body comprising a poppet slideably received in said opening for movement between said first and second positions and terminating at its lower end in a truncated conical surface, a seal carried by one of said conical surfaces for sealing against the other of said conical surfaces when said poppet lies in said first position, and means sealing between said body and said upper wall for precluding outflow of gas or liquid from said receptacle.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said receptacle includes a generally bowl-shaped body and a cover therefor containing said opening, means for releasably securing said cover to said body in sealing relation therewith, said biasing means including a spring engageable between said receptacle body and said poppet on said cover, each of said passages having a substantially D-shaped cross section.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cover carries an inlet funnel, said pair of discrete passages opening at their upper ends into the lower end of said inlet funnel, a screen overlying the upper ends of said passages in said funnel.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for maintaining said valve member in said second position against the bias of said biasing means.
 11. A system for dispensing liquids from a plurality of inverted liquid containers comprising: a plurality of liquid receptacles lying at a substantially common elevation; each of said receptacles having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; each of said valves including a body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in said first position of said valve body thereby preventing the flow of liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle, said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position, each of said receptacles having inlet and outlet ports; means for serially connecting said receptacles one to the other including conduits connecting the outlet ports of said receptacles with the inlet ports of the next serially connected receptacle, a source of gas under pressure, a conduit connecting said gas pressure source and the inlet port of the first of the serially connected receptacles, a dispensing faucet, means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacle to said dispensing faucet, said gas pressure source pressurizing the liquid in the containers when said valve bodies lie in said second position for flowing the liquid from one receptacle to the next and to the faucet.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a measured quantity of liquid from said faucet.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a selected one of a plurality of different predetermined measured quantities of liquid from said faucet.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said latter means includes a normally closed valve and means for opening said normally closed valve for selective intervals of time.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 12 including means for counting each measured quantity of liquid dispensed from said faucet.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of receptacles comprise a first set thereof for dispensing a like liquid; a second set of plural receptacles for dispensing a like liquid from a second set of liquid containers and unlike the liquid dispensed from said first set of receptacles, said second set of receptacles lying at a substantially common elevation; each of said second set of receptacles having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; each of said valves including a valve body carried for movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in said first position of said valve body thereby preventing flow of liquid from the container into said receptacle, said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, means for biasing said valve body for movement into said first position; each of said second set of receptacles having inlet and outlet ports; means for serially connecting the receptacles of said second set one to the other including conduits connecting the outlet ports of said receptacles with the inlet ports of the next serially connected receptacle, a conduit connecting said gas pressure source and the inlet port of a first of the serially connected second set of receptacles, a second dispensing faucet, means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacle of the second set thereof to said second dispensing faucet, said gas pressure source pressurizing the liquid in the containers associated with the second set of receptacles when the valve bodies thereof lie in said second position for flowing the liquid from one receptacle to the next and to said second faucet.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the means connecting the outlet port of the last serially connected receptacles in each said set thereof and the first and second dispensing faucets includes a flexible hose mounting said faucets and a pair of normally closed valves respectively associated with each of said first and second sets of receptacles, and means for selectively opening said normally closed valves for a selected interval of time whereby a measured quantity of liquid is dispensed through said faucets.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said latter connecting means includes means for providing a selected one of a plurality of different predetermined measuRed quantities of the liquids from their associated faucets.
 19. Apparatus for dispensing liquid from an inverted liquid container comprising: a liquid receptacle; said receptacle having an opening at its upper end for communicating liquid from an inverted container into said receptacle and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the container through said opening; said valve including a body carried for reciprocable movement between first and second positions, a valve seat, and a valve seal member carried by said body for sealing engagement with said seat in said first position of said valve body thereby preventing the flow of liquid from the inverted container into said receptacle, said body having a liquid inlet adjacent its upper end with the container being engageable about said inlet for displacing said valve body from said first position into said second position, said body having a pair of discrete passages in communication at their upper ends with said inlet and terminating at their lower ends in a pair of outlet passageways in communication with said receptacle in the second position of said valve body, said receptacle having inlet and outlet ports; means for mounting the container over said receptacle for movement with said valve body including means for biasing said valve body for movement in a first direction into said first position, said mounting means further including means engageable with the upper end of the inverted container for biasing the container and said valve body for movement in a second direction opposite said first direction whereby the valve body and inverted container are elastically suspended between the respective biasing means. 